For the sake of economy of manufacture, solar collector units are made in modular form, and are then assembled and interconnected in the number required to achieve a given purpose. It is generally well known to build solar collector units with a view toward achieving easy and orderly assembly thereof.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,473,018 to Danner, 2,274,492 to Modine and 3,145,707 to Thomason show the concept of placing multiple collector units side-by-side and connecting them transversely in series. However, these interconnections are exposed to the atmosphere and unprotected against corrosion and/or heat losses, and are also relatively unsightly.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,907,318 to Awot and 4,036,208 to Bauer both show in FIG. 1 inlet and outlet connection pipes which open in opposite directions and have their bores mutually aligned, but they are so disposed relative to the collector boxes themselves that it would not be possible to place the boxes in immediately adjacent mutual orientation, but instead series-connected boxes would have to be spaced apart.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,262,497 to Worthen et al shows U-shaped tubing connected between inlet and outlet manifold pipes which are mutually aligned, but not in combination with collector box structure provided with covers especially adapted to conceal, protect and insulate the manifolds and their connections while at the same time facilitating their installation and interconnection.